Foods That Have Gluten In Them

Seitan And Vegan Meat Substitutes

Many vegan meat substitutes are actually very high in gluten. In fact, seitan, which is used as a meat substitute, is made nearly entirely from gluten. Since gluten is a protein, it can be an excellent source of muscle-building amino acids for those who can eat it, and its also quite high in iron. It has a meaty texture, as well, so it takes well to plant-based meat applications. Many vegan chicken nuggets, veggie burgers, vegan sausages, and similar products are thus among the highest gluten-containing foods. In that vein, any vegan or meat-based product thats breaded usually has gluten due to the flour for the breadcrumbs used.

Hidden Gluten Places Some Consumers At Risk

Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

• Gluten-Free Certification

If you’re new to the gluten-free dietor even if you’ve been gluten-free for a whileyou need to understand what the term “gluten-free” actually means on food and product labels. In the end, “free” doesn’t necessarily mean “zero.”

Instead, it suggests an acceptable level of gluten as determined by the Food and Drug Administration . Unlike food allergens, manufacturers are not required to disclose gluten on food labelsonly wheatmaking it all the more difficult to choose “safe” products if you have extreme gluten sensitivity.

To make selection easier, you need to find out where gluten is hidden in foods. Some of these are straightforward , while others are less than obvious. Other products still may only contain gluten some of the time.

Secondly, you need to know what the FDA requires from a manufacturer in order for their product to be certified gluten-free.

Foods You Probably Have No Idea Have Gluten In Them

If youre considering going gluten-free, you may think its a simple case of avoiding bread products, pasta and crackers that arent labeled gluten free. Unfortunately, thats not the case, as there are many surprising hidden sources of gluten in food.

Since gluten intolerance and celiac disease have become more mainstream, there are many gluten-free alternatives to products you might normally rely on, which helps to make life easier.

Read on to find out which popular foods may have gluten lurking in them, and find out what you can eat as a substitute.

1. Blue Cheese & Blue Cheese Dressing

Theres a lot of debate about whether blue cheese contains gluten, and the reason is because its made with penicillium spores that may or may not have been grown on a medium that contains gluten, such as rye bread.

Its hard to get clear answers to this question, so its best to err on the side of caution. Look for items containing blue cheese that are certified gluten-free.

2. Pringles

Yes, sadly its true. Pringles contain wheat ingredients. You may not be able to enjoy the taste of Pringles anymore, but there are several companies that make crisps that are gluten-free.

Check the manufacturers website of your favourite brand to see if they are gluten-free.

3. Oats

4. Sauces, Gravies and Salad Dressings

If you cook at home, you can use cornstarch to thicken sauces instead of flour. When buying store-bought ones, check the labels carefully for gluten ingredients.

5. Cornbread

Also Check: Is Mozzarella String Cheese Gluten-free

Foods You Didn’t Know Have Gluten

Nowadays, it seems like everyone’s gluten-free. People eschew pasta, bread, cereals, beer, and baked goods because they contain gluten. They both proudly and nervously tell friends, family, and servers that they’re gluten-free, reiterating that they cannot eat anything containing gluten under any circumstances. For some, avoiding gluten is a choice, but others find that the slightest bit of gluten causes them to fall seriously ill. For the latter group, abstaining from anything that contains gluten is a serious necessity, not a lifestyle choice. What is gluten, really? According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, gluten is the term used for proteins from wheat, rye, barley, and triticale, which is a cross between wheat and rye. When you knead bread dough, for instance, you’re trying to develop the gluten in the flour, which will help give the bread structure. Buckwheat, despite the potentially confusing name, is not related to wheat and is naturally gluten-free.

Whether gluten-sensitive or allergic, it’s serious, and cross-contamination with other foods is a major concern. Perhaps even more dangerous than cross-contamination is gluten hiding in plain sight. There’s gluten in many foods that you would never guess contain gluten, which is, of course, a problem for those who experience terrible side effects whenever they eat even a whisper of wheat, rye, or barley, which the Celiac Disease Foundation considers “The Big 3.”

Skin Care Products And Make Up

Hand sanitizers, lotions, make up and other skin care products can contain gluten in the form of wheat germ oil, oatmeal or other wheat derivatives, such as wheat amino acids. Although gluten must be ingested to cause an autoimmune reaction, gluten from skincare products could potentially be ingested if they are on or near your mouth, or on your hands. Be sure to check your skin care products for gluten containing ingredients, and always wash your hands before eating.

Recommended Reading: Is Dove Chocolate Gluten Free

Foods That Have Gluten In Them

Having a gluten intolerance can make eating challenging. Gone are the quick dinners of ordering pizza or indulging in a cheesy lasagna from that wonderful Italian place down the road, since pizza dough and lasagna noodles are loaded with gluten.

There are substitutions of course, and many restaurants are beginning to offer them pizza chains now offer gluten free dough as an option, and while these impostors dont have the taste or texture youre used to from wheat, eventually your palate will get used to it. Knowing which foods contain gluten will make eating out, grocery shopping, and cooking at home much simpler.

Gluten free foods may not be for everybody because they often dont taste that great, but there is enough choice on the market now that if you dig deep, youll find some items that satisfy your requirements.

What Exactly Is Bad About Gluten

For people without intolerance, gluten is not a problem. Although science is currently still faced with the question of whether gluten is generally less easily digested by humans, it should not actually be a problem for healthy people. For people with intolerance, the effect of gluten is similar to an autoimmune disease. The mucous membrane of the small intestine is attacked and slowly dissolves. Due to the damaged mucous membranes, vitamins and nutrients can often no longer be digested properly. This can lead to deficiency symptoms in those affected.

Read Also: Gluten Free Graham Crackers Walmart

A Final Word About A Gluten Free Diet

A gluten free diet can present a challenge in regards to whole grain intake since it eliminates some of the most common sources of whole grain, including wheat, rye and barley. Fortunately, it can also provide an opportunity to eat a more whole food diet as is evidenced by the list above. While there are many refined gluten-free grain replacements such as cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca starch and white rice flour, the variety of nutritious gluten free whole grains is plentiful. So, rather than having the gluten free diet be a challenge, look at is as an opportunity to increase both variety and nutrient content through the incorporation of the above mentioned gluten free foods, including whole grains.

Id like to leave you with two gluten free recipes to try that will help incorporate the whole grains listed above.

Foods That May Contain Gluten

These foods must be verified by reading the label or checking with the manufacturer/kitchen staff.

• Energy bars/granola bars some bars may contain wheat as an ingredient, and most use oats that are not gluten-free
• French fries be careful of batter containing wheat flour or cross-contact from fryers
• Potato chips some potato chip seasonings may contain malt vinegar or wheat starch
• Processed lunch meats
• Candy and candy bars
• Soup pay special attention to cream-based soups, which have flour as a thickener. Many soups also contain barley
• Multi-grain or artisan tortilla chips or tortillas that are not entirely corn-based may contain a wheat-based ingredient
• Salad dressings and marinades may contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, flour
• Starch or dextrin if found on a meat or poultry product could be from any grain, including wheat
• Brown rice syrup may be made with barley enzymes
• Meat substitutes made with seitan such as vegetarian burgers, vegetarian sausage, imitation bacon, imitation seafood
• Soy sauce
• Self-basting poultry
• Pre-seasoned meats
• Cheesecake filling some recipes include wheat flour
• Eggs served at restaurants some restaurants put pancake batter in their scrambled eggs and omelets, but on their own, eggs are naturally gluten-free

Also Check: Publix Frozen Pizza Dough

Supermarkets And Other Food Shops

• Be aware of the risk of cross-contamination in bulk food bins, due to people using the same scoops for food with and without gluten.
• Also watch out for cross-contamination with deli foods, eg, if staff use the same tongs for food with and without gluten.

At home

Cross-contamination can also occur at home. This can happen if foods are prepared on the same surfaces or boards as food with gluten in it, or with utensils that weren’t thoroughly cleaned after being used to prepare gluten-containing foods. Using a common toaster for gluten-free bread and regular bread is also a major source of cross-contamination.

Reduce the risk of cross-contamination at home by:

• washing kitchen equipment, utensils and chopping boards after preparing foods containing gluten or use separate equipment for gluten-free food preparation
• wiping surfaces down well with hot, soapy water after preparing foods containing gluten
• keeping gluten-free food and food with gluten in separate areas in your kitchen putting the gluten-free food higher in the cupboard makes it less likely to get crumbs/flour etc from gluten-containing foods spilled on it
• using a washable silicon mat on cooking surfaces that may be contaminated with gluten, eg, barbeques
• using toaster bags or a separate toaster for gluten-free bread
• having separate containers of butter/margarine, spreads and chutneys for those on a gluten-free diet.

Which Foods Should I Avoid

Don’t eat the following products unless they state gluten free on the packaging.*

* Note: These lists are not complete. For more information, speak to a registered dietitian or visit www.coeliac.org.nz.

Gluten and wheat is identified on all food labels in New Zealand and Australia. Always check the label.

Also Check: Jason Deli Gluten Free

Foods To Avoid With A Gluten Intolerance

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Many people avoid gluten, a group of proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye, due to personal preference or a medical condition .

Celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity all involve an adverse reaction to gluten and are treated with a gluten-free diet. These conditions are considered forms of gluten intolerance .

While both celiac disease and NCGS may lead to intestinal damage and cause symptoms like diarrhea, gas, and bloating, celiac is an autoimmune condition linked to other serious health effects, such as anemia, stunted growth, and neurological effects .

Wheat allergy refers to an allergic reaction to wheat proteins, the symptoms of which may be life threatening. This condition is treated with a wheat-free diet, not necessarily a gluten-free diet .

Although people with wheat allergies must avoid wheat, most are able to eat other grains, including gluten-containing ones like barley and rye.

Meanwhile, people with celiac disease and NCGS must avoid all gluten-containing foods to control symptoms. Notably, many healthy foods are naturally gluten-free, and quite a few companies make scrumptious gluten-free products.

Here are 8 foods to avoid if you have a gluten intolerance, as well as 7 you can safely eat.

Certain Seasonings And Condiments

The following seasonings and condiments are safe for those following gluten-free diets:

• apple cider vinegar
• fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, and cilantro
• pesto

Most sources of healthy fat, such as the following, are gluten-free.

• full fat yogurt
• unsweetened coconut

Summary

Foods that are safe to eat if you have a gluten intolerance include nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, dairy products, gluten-free grains, and legumes.

Recommended Reading: Does Bud Light Have Gluten In It

Spreads Spices And Condiments

You probably wouldn’t imagine that your favorite Asian condiment contains gluten, but soy sauce is a common source. Wheat is the first ingredient in most brands. If you like to add soy sauce to your food, look for a gluten-free brand.

Cheese spreads and other processed cheese products may also contain gluten.

Other gluten-containing spreads and condiments may include some brands of mustard, butter, peanut butter, jam, and mayonnaise because utensils used on gluten-containing food are double-dipped.

What About Wheat Allergy

If you can eat gluten but avoid wheat due to an allergy, spelt might be an acceptable alternative.

An Australian study in 73 people allergic to wheat revealed that only 30% tested positive for a spelt allergy .

Nonetheless, you should still be careful. Be sure to consult your healthcare provider if you have a wheat allergy and are considering trying spelt.

summary

Spelt is a type of wheat, which means that it contains gluten. If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you should avoid spelt.

Don’t Miss: What Seltzers Are Gluten Free

Processed Meats And Cheeses

Some deli meats, sausages, meatballs and cheese contain ingredients derived from wheat or barley, which are used as thickening agents or flavor enhancers. Certain shredded cheeses may be coated with flour to prevent clumping. Be sure to check the ingredients on these foods and look for options labeled gluten free.

Several Processed Foods And Other Items

Many processed foods and other popular items may also harbor gluten. These include:

• meat substitutes, such as veggie burgers and hot dogs
• prepared lunch meats
• canned soups and soup mixes
• puddings and instant dessert mixes
• certain ice creams
• french fries and other fried foods
• flavored tofu

Summary

Foods that contain gluten include breads, pastas, crackers, baked goods, many grains, and several beverages and processed items.

Though it may seem as if most foods are off-limits when youre intolerant to gluten, many delicious and healthy foods are naturally gluten-free. Plus, quality gluten-free breads, pastas, and crackers are available in most grocery stores.

If youre gluten intolerant, you can enjoy the following foods.

Also Check: Ezekiel English Muffins Gluten Free

Which Foods Have Gluten In Them

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

If youre trying to avoid gluten and/or are following a gluten free diet , then knowing which foods have gluten in them will obviously be the key to success.

This can be tricky, however, because when perusing lists of foods that contain gluten, it seems as though gluten is in everything! For example, did you know that gluten is in shampoo, cosmetics, and Play-Doh? No, you wont be eating those items anytime soon, but if you have a severe sensitivity, this is something to be aware of.

Gluten is even hidden in food items and ingredients you wouldnt suspect or even consider, such as Avena sativa cyclodextrin, dextrin, fermented grain extract, hordeum distichon, hordeum vulgare, and hydrolysate. All those are code for gluten.

For those with a gluten intolerance and or sensitivityto say nothing of celiac diseaseknowing where gluten is hidden becomes a real exercise in investigation and in educating yourself. The last thing you want is to accidentally ingest it and then suffer the consequences.